A Shining Example of a Roof Safety System

It is not often a roof safety system opportunity comes along like this one. Of course, RISSafety was well equipped to take on this unique and bespoke roof safety system, as we do not believe that “one size fits all” when it comes to safety.

Billbergia was commissioned to construct the Rhodes Central precinct, 39 storey tower that was topped off with an architecturally designed heliostat. The purpose of this heliostat is to use mirrors that track the sun and then reflect light down into the adjacent town square. This 20-metre heliostat on top of the building is a key feature and only the 2^nd of its kind in the southern hemisphere.

Given the complexity of such a project, Billbergia “needed to work with a height safety company that had the ability and technical experience to help design & construct a bespoke roof safety system that integrated with our current safety design” said Alexander Allan, Project Engineer, Billbergia. “While the structure construction was extremely important, it was just as important to ensure that we had a roof safety system that could easily access the heliostat for future maintenance and cleaning, along with an abseiling system that allowed access to clean the façade of the building. It was also very important that this roof safety system integrated and improved our current system,” said Alexander.

“It is always important to engage your height safety specialist early in the construction process” said Michael Mulhall, Business Development Manager, RISsafety. “That way we can help with the design early on to come up with the best and most cost-efficient approach, rather than just it being an afterthought, which can often cost more time and money.” This project really showcased how partnering early in the process ensured the best outcome for the client and most importantly the best roof safety system for the end users; those that need to access the façade and heliostat in the years to come. “Our current façade access safety system was not the best and it was complicated to use, so it was important to find the right solution to ensure we could improve on this and create an easier to use and more efficient height safety system”, said Alexander.

While it is standard business practice to tender this out to different height safety providers, RISSafety clearly stood out from the rest. “RISsafety’s ability to understand what was needed and their smarts to adapt a suitable system to the current design, clearly stood out”, said Alexander. “It is a complex structure, so you need to ensure you partner with someone that has a very capable design team.” The results speak for themselves as RISSafety was able to design a more efficient to use roof safety system, along with providing long-term cost efficiencies.

Our expert team installed RISSafety Strong Rail to access the heliostat mirrors for cleaning and if need be, a methodology to replace the mirrors. Further to this, an abseil system with anchor points was installed around the façade of both towers, and a height safety system to the Rhodes Central Retail Centre.

RISSafety is one of the Australia’s leading Height Safety experts, and we offer the full height safety service, from designing the best height safety system for your structure, through to manufacturing it in our own fabrication workshop and then installing it on site. “We truly are your complete solutions provider for all height safety requirements from design & manufacture to installation & inspection. And our customer centric approach sets us apart. We really try to exceed our customer’s expectations in both service and solution delivery,” said Michael. And that is exactly what our team delivered on the Rhodes Heliostat roof height safety system. “RISSafety is the most professional height safety provider I have ever dealt with,” Alexander added.

At RISSafety everything we do meets or exceeds AU & NZ standards and maintains our ISO9001 accreditation. We believe in putting our customers at the heart of everything we do, so we can deliver the most efficient height safety system. If you would like expert advice for your next project, contact us today.